Grange Family Provides Aid to Dartmouth Grange   Dartmouth Grange is happy to announce that their Regional Shared-Use Community Kitchen facility is near completion and with much thanks to their Grange family.  Dartmouth has been working on the reconstruction project since 2002, raising over $310,000 grants to transform their old kitchen into a modern and approved, licensed kitchen facility to provide an opportunity for new and existing businesses to grow and increase their utilization of local agricultural products, thereby preserving the local character and enriching the quality of life in the area.
The project stemmed from Dartmouth’s mission to meet a community need coupled with the desire to strengthen the agricultural community.  The facility will accomplish both by giving individuals, families and farmers the ability to create or expand a specialty food business without having the cost of building their own private production facility.  Start-up costs are greatly reduced for them by using a community kitchen that can be rented by the day or hour.  There are no known organizations or projects in our area that satisfy this need; a need that is particularly unmet for a farm producer interested in adding value to his crops and seasonal over-production that can occur in the fresh market.
“We have so many agencies and organizations to thank”, says Allen “Sam” Manley, Master of Dartmouth, “but it goes without saying that first and foremost, we thank the Grange, for not only being the vehicle to make this project a reality, but also for their continued support.  From the Master of the National Grange, William Steel, and the officers of the Massachusetts State Grange, to individual Brothers and Sisters, we owe much gratitude.”  Recently, the MA State Grange Executive Committee awarded Dartmouth $30,000 towards the project and three local Grange’s from the immediate area contributed towards the project as well; one, being Fairhaven Grange, which gave a significant gift of $35,000.
The three local Grange’s took a little from what was left of their days of yore and graciously gave it to benefit a sister Grange who was aiming towards the future.  Allen’s wife, Julie, chairperson of the project, said their acts of charity reminded her of one, amongst the many beautiful passages written for ritual work, which asks our members to seek to promote human welfare, striving together, hand in hand, for the good of our fellow beings. (another Feature Article on Dartmouth Grange's Community Kitchen will be available on line in May)